In the heart of Kaduna, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) Kaduna Zonal Command executed a strategic operation on Monday, November 13, 2023.
This operation led to the apprehension of five suspects involved in alleged internet-related fraud at a residential Inn and Disney Chicken Eatery, Barnawa, Kaduna.
Favour Itung, Rachael Ande, Zuleiman Haruna, Abubakar Ismaila, and Solomon Olobatoke found themselves in the custody of EFCC following credible intelligence.
The arrest unfolded seamlessly, marking a significant stride in combatting cybercrime.
However, the narrative took an unexpected turn post-arrest.
Six military personnel, who bore witness to the operation at Disney Chicken Eatery, attempted a forceful release of the fraud suspects.
The quartet from the Air Force—Lawal Abdullahi, Chukwuma Chidi Christian, Alfa Suleiman, and Emmanuel Ekwozor—joined forces with two students from the Nigerian Air Force Institute of Technology, AFIT: Chidera Anuba and Joseph Tokula.
Their attempt led to a security breach, resulting in their detention by EFCC.
Behind the scenes, inter-agency communication and discussions unfolded between the EFCC and the Nigerian Air Force (NAF).
The detained military personnel became a focal point of dialogue aimed at resolving the security breach.
Regrettably, the dialogue reached an impasse on Friday, November 17, 2023, when a faction of unruly NAF Officers executed a commando-style raid on the Kaduna Command.
Their mission: a forceful release of their detained colleagues.
In response to this provocation, the EFCC exhibited restraint and continued engagement with the NAF leadership.
Eventually, after due profiling, the detained officers were handed over to the NAF Provost.
